The Tragedy
by RainingSprinklesDownMyThroat
Summary: AU: Itachi is fifteen years old and adores his baby brother, Sasuke. The boys' mother works late and their father is a drunk and abusive. After a tragic accident, what will Sasuke's Nii-chan do to protect the youngest Uchiha? RatedM:Lang
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: Naruto and the lovely characters in it are NOT mine. I just borrowed them. So, Arigato!

Well, hello there! *smiles brightly*

I feel like saying hi since I'm new to the site. . . Anyways:

This story was supposed to be a cute little fluff piece, but it took a horrible turn. *shudders*

So it has dark themes and violence as well as language. *sweatdrop*

Gomen-ne to anyone who wanted to read this. . . But if that floats your cup (weird thing to say, I know) then read my story onegai!

_When you spend your life in a dump like Konoha, of course you won't trust the man you once called Onii-chan. _--I have a habit of writing a line at the top of my page. It doesn't always have to do with the current story or anything.

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"Nii-chan!" cried the young raven-haired boy, his arms up and hands grasping at the air above his head. A silly grin was plastered on the boy's porcelain white face, giggling happily.

The elder boy laughed, amused by the affection he received from his little brother. He was in a particularly pleasant mood that day, unusual as of late for the Uchiha. Complying to the child's demands, he bent over to lift the boy into his cradling arms. His headache wasn't so dreadful that afternoon and he was not going to pass up the opportunity to spend precious time with his beloved brother.

"Sasuke, did you have fun at pre-school?" asked the elder brother.

The boy in his arms nodded eagerly before launching into the tale of his school day. After finishing the story of a finding a lost puppy on his return home, Itachi calmly remarked,

"That sounds exciting." The strain in his voice was completely overlooked by the younger sibling. Luckily for the older Uchiha, Sasuke was still young enough to be fooled with a simple smile.

"How is college, Nii-chan?" asked Sasuke suddenly, looking up with sincere curiosity.

"It was fun," replied Itachi simply, hiding the truth.

University was not going well. Even with Itachi's reputation as a child prodigy that gave him no guarantee of school being a cakewalk. At age fourteen Itachi was already a freshman in college, enrolled in the most prestigious university in the area his teachers had the highest hopes for the boy. Itachi couldn't help but feel the overwhelming pressure of the situation.

"I can't wait to go to college!" declared Sasuke excitedly. "I'm going to make lots of fun too!"

Itachi chuckled at this proclamation. His only hope was that the child's wish came true.

The door burst open with a loud _'bang' _as it collided with the wall. Both of the boy's heads snapped towards the sound, searching for the culprit. A certain smell hit Itachi's nose and he ushered Sasuke to his room. Grudgingly, the raven-haired boy obeyed.

When Itachi heard Sasuke's own door close with the faintest creak, the elder boy entered the hall to find his father. The man was leaning against the wall for support, unable to stand on his own. Itachi's nose crinkled in disgust from the alcohol and tobacco stench coming from his father.

"How pathetic," muttered Itachi audaciously under his breath. He lacked any form of respect for the drunken man clinging to the wall. Then audibly Itachi politely greeted the man. "Father, what are you doing home so early?"

"Shut up, you good for nothing. . .worthless. . ." slurred the man, scowling at his insolent son as he stumbled forward. Then angrily he questioned, "Where's your goddamn mother?"

"At work," replied the boy curtly. "Sasuke's home already, I picked him up from the pre-school and sent him to his room."

Glaring, the father Uchiha shook his head violently. "Who gives a damn about that brat? I'm going to bed." With great effort the man continued shakily staggering down the hall.

Itachi sighed, he could only hope he'd sober up before Sasuke saw the damned fool. He sauntered after his father, stopping at Sasuke's door. Quietly he entered, finding his baby brother hunched over his table, a dark blue crayon in hand. He was practicing his handwriting, at age three. The child was determined to catch up to his brother, to be equally respected. It was his dream, and Itachi was well aware of it.

"How's it going, Sasuke?" he asked, seating himself on the opposite side of the small table.

Frowning, Sasuke answered, "I can't make 'S's very good yet."

Itachi peered down at the sheet of paper there were funny shaped squiggles that Itachi could only assume were the boy's attempts to draw an 'S'.

"You're doing a fine job, Sasuke," encouraged Itachi, smiling gently. "Want me to help you?"

Sasuke nodded, hesitantly. He was blushing happily. It wasn't often that his Nii-chan had time to help him with anything or to play. He knew his elder brother was always busy with school work.

Life was peaceful for the youngest Uchiha. He had a loving mother and father as well as an older brother he idolized. He felt like the luckiest kid in the world when they sat down and ate dinner together, chatting happily over the meal.

It was another three years before the child saw his world crumble. It started slowly at first, as the small happiness's started to fade, and things were tearing at the seams of his foundation.

At the young child's home chaos was brewing without his notice.

"Sasuke will be coming home, Dear. Calm down, onegai?" pleaded the meek woman, reaching hesitantly out to her husband.

"Shut the fuck up, you worthless whore!" he angrily shouted. His arm drew back above his head and the back of his open palm came barring down at his wife.

The woman screamed, not for herself, but for her son who stepped in to protect her.

The back of his hand collided with that of his son's jaw. The boy glared fiercely at his father, challenging him, threatening him. He would not see his gentle mother be treated like dirt any longer, he'd had it.

"Don't you dare touch her!" screamed the boy furiously.

"H-how dare--" spluttered his father, looking taken aback by the outburst of his usually quiet son. Then outraged, the man yelled, "You FUCKER!" Now it was his fist that slammed into the soft flesh of his insolent child's gut.

The mother screamed again, frightened. Her back bumped into the wall as she staggered backwards. Her hand covering her mouth as she watched, horrified. Her husband had just struck out at _her_ baby yet she found herself unable to do anything.

They were completely unaware their youngest family member had entered the room, witnessing the violent act.

After his first day of kindergarten, Sasuke raced home. He anxiously wanted to share the picture he'd drawn with his family. The family lived down the street from the school, so Sasuke felt confident enough to walk home. As he burst through the door of his house, he heard voices from the kitchen. He recognized them as his parents.

_They came home early_, thought Sasuke excitedly. He peered into the kitchen, gently opening the sliding door.

With his eyes wide and fearful, he watched as his father struck out at the his brother once again. Sasuke entered the kitchen, thrusting open the sliding door, crying out,

"Father, stop!"

The room froze.

Gradually, three faces turned to the doorway.

"Don't hit, Nii-san!" begged the child, tears welling up in his eyes. "Don't hit him, onegai!"

Itachi hurried to his brother, embracing him tightly and lifting the boy into his arms.

"It's okay, Sasuke," assured his brother, trying to calm the fear that had swelled up in his little brother. His hand stroked his baby brother's raven-hair. "I'm fine, it was a misunderstanding. Don't worry."

While Itachi distracted Sasuke, their mother guided their father into the other room. After the tears ceased, Itachi brought Sasuke to his room, curling up in the same bed, the two drifted to sleep.

Sasuke didn't ask about the incident and no one said anything. It dissipated from his memories after a month or so. Things returned to normal, the young Uchiha truly believed it really was just an accident. Time healed the visions from his retinas. Just like a nightmare.

But all fairytales come to an end in the real world.

"What!?" shrieked the littlest Uchiha. "M-Mother is in the h-hospital?"

Itachi slowly nodded, before he spoke.

"She wants to see you and I before. . ." He couldn't say it.

Sasuke's eyes widened with an abrupt realization. His mother was dying in that hospital bed.

The brothers rushed to the hospital without exchanging another word. After getting permission from the nurse at the counter, Sasuke raced to the bedside. The weak woman was hooked to an IV and other cords. There were visible black and purple bruises all over her pale white flesh. Her cheeks looked sunken and her hair was wet with sweat.

"Mother!" Sasuke cried, relieved and frightened. She was still alive, but she didn't look like she was in any good condition.

"Oh, Sasuke," she muttered feebly. "How was school, sweetie?"

Choking back tears, Sasuke answered, "It was great. How are you feeling?"

Sighing, she replied, "A bit sleepy actually."

Sasuke could only interpret that as a bad sign from the fear in Itachi's eyes. The hours passed and the brothers refused to leave their mother's side. Only once did Itachi abruptly rush out of the room and Sasuke could discern shouting in the hall. Itachi returned smiling nervously promising that everything was alright.

When the younger brother slipped into a peaceful sleep, the woman addressed her eldest son.

"Itachi?"

"Yes, Mother?" asked Itachi, attentive. He took hold of her thin hand, he'd never seen her look so small. Her breath was becoming shallow and her pulse was deteriorating.

"Itachi, onegai, promise that you'll protect Sasuke," she breathlessly whispered, her voice urgent. "You _must_ protect him." Her gaze turned to the ceiling, panting.

"I will, Mother. I promise," assured Itachi, tears forming in his eyes. He pressed the back of her hand to his forehead. "I won't let anything happen to Sasuke."

"Thank you," she breathed, tears of her own spilling over her cheeks. "I love you, my son. I will always love you, both of you. Tell Sasuke for me, onegai. . ."

"What?" he choked, gazing up in astonishment. Frightened as he witnessed her eyes closing, a simple smile pursed on her lips. "Tell him yourself! Mother don't give up, onegai!"

"Goodbye. . .Itachi. . .Sasuke. . . I love you. . ."

Beep~

Her heart stopped. She was gone. His mother was dead.

Without pausing to wake his brother, Itachi sprinted from the hospital room. Rain had already begun to fall, as if the heavens were weeping. Sobbing as he ran, Itachi burst into his home.

There was a groan from within the house, slowly Itachi crept through his own house as though he were an intruder.

"That you, Mikoto?" came a groggy voice.

Itachi stiffened, it was one of the few times he'd heard his father call his mother by name. Then gradually relaxing, Itachi glanced around the hall. His eyes landed on a metal bat from when he used to play baseball. His fingers enclosed around the handle, gripping it tightly to calm his nerves. He crept into the living room, not there. The kitchen, not there. Each room with no luck until the master bedroom.

"I said, is that you Mikoto?" repeated his father more angrily. He whipped his head toward the door, finding Itachi drenched in the doorway. "Oh, what do you want? Get out, your soaking wet! Call your damned mother and have her make dinner!" He huffed, turning to the bed to lie down.

"Mom's dead," said Itachi coldly.

The man before him froze, then slowly turned back to his son. He now recognized that the boy had been crying. Then hesitantly he said, "Oh, well then, never mind."

Glaring, Itachi spat, "'Never mind'? That's it? Your wife dies and that's all you can say!? My mother is dead, because of you! You goddamned motherfucker!"

Itachi rose the bat above his head and swung it with as much force as he could muster. He missed, the man bolted. Itachi chased after him, but he didn't catch him until the man got outside. He grabbed onto his father's shirt, slamming him into the wall of the apartment complex. The man sunk to the floor, slumping unconscious. Itachi gulped, checking the man's pulse. Still alive, that brought back the boy's fury.

By the collar of his father's shirt, Itachi lifted the man up, shoving him over the side of the balcony. Then to his surprise, the man caught hold of the rail to the second floor, saving his neck. Itachi watched in astonishment as his father threw himself onto the landing below. He'd had faked losing consciousness, realized the boy. Gripping the bat, Itachi raced down to the ground level. When he heard the roar of the car engine, Itachi panicked.

_He can't get away_, thought the boy inwardly, _not this time!_

Itachi reached the car, bringing down the end of the metal stick into the windshield. It broke, the glass shattered and rained down on the man inside. Itachi witnessed the fear in his father's eyes at that moment and smiled.

The young Uchiha ripped open the car door, only to find his father fleeing out the passenger side. Cursing, he raced to hunt down his escapee. Then stopped himself, finding it utterly pointless to run after the determined man. Inside he turned around and started the car, hopping into the drivers seat he ignored the shards of glass sticking into his rear. He had no time for pain or humility. It was all irrelevant.

Itachi punched the gas, the car jolted beneath him as it came to life. Swerving into the road, he tracked down his father. He hadn't gotten far, only to the park at the end of the street. That's when it clicked together in the genius's head. There was a small forest that branched off the park. That was his aim, get into the trees and hide.

"Coward," muttered the prodigy, pushing the pedal to the glass covered gray carpet on the car's floor.

The vehicle flew over the curb of the sidewalk, barring down on the retreating figure. He was already too late, Itachi could see him reach the forest's edge and disappearing into the protection of nature. The barrier of trees came closer as the car hurried to its ruination. Without even stopping to think, the man kicked open the door and threw himself onto the soaking green grass. Tumbling over the water seeped blades of green, his shoulders and hips were battered by the grounds density.

He watched briefly as the car was reduced to a four wheeled scrap of metal, bent around the trunk of a tree. Then getting to his feet, picking up the bat, he hurried into the trees.

"Come out you coward!" roared Itachi, speeding passed the greens and browns of nature.

Adrenaline was pumping fiercely to his head and limbs. Mind racing, his eyes racked the forest, searching for any trace of his father. Feeling the ineffectiveness of the irrational actions. Itachi froze, panting breathlessly. Taking in a lungful of the fresh air he calmed himself.

The rain pounded on his flesh, seeping easily through his clothes. Drenched, he kept motionless, turning to his senses to aid him. He closed his eyes, taking in a huge breath and holding it. Focusing his attention to his ears, Itachi's fingers clenched around the bat. Through the beating rain, the sound of a twig alerted the Uchiha to the whereabouts of his prey.

A smirk pulled at the edge of his lips. _Found you_, he thought inwardly. Coolly, the genius stepped to his left. Each of his steps deliberate and muffled to untrained ears by the running water, Itachi felt confidence. The Uchiha felt the irrevocable power to have another human being at his mercy.

Then he channeled that strength to his right hand, he felt like he could snap the metal stick in his grasp like the twigs that broke beneath each footstep.

"It's over," announced Itachi serenely, the bat suspended in the space above his head as he cornered his father.

Awareness struck the man leaning against the tree, before he could save himself. The metal smashed into the man's shoulder, crushing the bones on impact. Staggering with the motion of the swing, the injured man fell into an innocent baby sprout squashing the life with his weight as he plummeted into the muddy soil. The man could feel the ground give under his body, coating his backside with brown sludge.

Itachi gazed down as his father was hastily struggling to get to his feet, the man pressed his hand into the sunken earth to push himself up. The younger man slammed the sole of his shoe over the hand, cracking the small bones under the pale skin.

"Itachi, wait!" his father begged, peering defenselessly up into the stone cold eyes of his son. "Onegai, I never meant--" Itachi's foot collided with his father's jaw, knocking the back of the older man's skull against the green floor. "Onegai, Itachi--" His son sent another strong kick into his father's ribcage, shattering a bone. Hearing the crack of each one gave Itachi a sick satisfaction. He relished the feeling of his own father's bones breaking under his blows.

"Is this how it felt?" asked Itachi calmly, his face betraying his enjoyment. A twisted smile was set over his features. Then Itachi stood over the beaten man, dropping his knees into the watered down soil on either side of his father's chest. His trembling hand reached down to clutch his father's throat. "When you abused her, did you feel like this?" His finger nails began to dig into the soft flesh. "Was it the power of holding another person's life in your hands that was so enticing?"

Terrified eyes stared up at Itachi, unable to speak. Though the two eyes yielded the answers to the prodigy gave him everything he desired. The terror that Itachi was witnessing sent shivers through his body. It was. . ._exhilarating_.

"I'm going to let you know something," informed the younger Uchiha. He sat back, full weight on his father's chest. "I'm going to let you know exactly how my mother felt." Then his fist crashed into his father's face, again and again. His knuckles bloodied and broke, but he kept pounding. Repeatedly.

"This is how she felt!" screamed Itachi as the pouring rain seeped into his skin. "When you beat her, this is what she felt! You sick bastard!" His left hand yanked at the collar of his father's shirt. The elder Uchiha was bleeding mercilessly from the inside and his visage. Itachi's right hand felt the soil behind him, until his fingertips hit the cool metal of his weapon. Grinning as his hand seized the handle, the younger man raised the bat over his head. His left hand came up to join his right, fully controlling the instrument that would carry out his justice. "You'll never hurt her, or me, or Sasuke ever again!"

His father's eyes widened as he saw the pure hatred his son harbored for him, over the years, channeled into the final swing. It felt like the world was set into the slowest motion, all pausing just for this moment, the moment before his life ended.

His father remembered when things weren't always bad. They were happy once. When did things change? What warped the precious memories of being a father into the bastard that tormented them? It was too late for apologies. Everything was too damned late! It was over.

Part of him was glad that his son was about to end his life. The child was right, he could never hurt another person now. He could finally rest. Right, Mikoto? God, he was pitiful. He never wanted to hurt her. Now he could join her again, in a happier time.

There was one thing he had to tell his son before he went though.

"Thank you."

_WHACK._

Itachi's eyes widened. He stumbled to his feet, releasing the bloody tool in his hands, his back bumping into a nearby tree He couldn't believe it. His father had thanked him. . . _Thanked him_. . .

"No!" screamed Itachi.

The son reached for the bat again, this time he brought it down aimlessly. Again and again, each time it bashed into the mangled body of the corpse at his feet, creating new dents and seeing the hemorrhaging under the skin as he beat the body more. Blood spewed from the wounds in some places, showering the Uchiha murder. The crimson speckled his cheeks, soaked into his clothes, and he laughed manically. Until he comprehended that he was covered in blood and he was pounding a misshapen carcass. He looked down at his hands, encircling the oddly shaped pole's handle. They, and the metal, were dripping with blood.

The blood of his father.

A wave of nausea overcame him as he dropped the crimson covered pole to the ground. He stumbled back and fell forward onto his hands and retched. He'd killed his own father.

His eyes gradually lifted from the ground to his handiwork. He felt another wave of revulsion roll over him and heaved. Wobbling to his feet, eyes averted to the grey skies, Itachi slowly wiped away the vomit from his quivering lower lip.

He had to get away from there. No, he had to dispose of the evidence. That wasn't it either. The mess was too _big_. He couldn't do anything but turn himself in. That was all. He felt himself come to terms with the decision. It was done.

He pulled out his cell phone, dialing a number into the keypad.

"Oi, Itachi, how's it going? Your mom okay?" came the concerned voice of his best friend.

"She's dead," he replied. His voice was hallow, void of life. "I'm going to jail. I killed the man who did it, my father."

There was a slight pause before the voice on the phone questioned urgently, "Where are you!?"

Itachi couldn't remember, his brain had ceased to function, then his mouth moved without thinking. "The forest behind the park down my street."

"Don't move. Don't call anyone. Just stay!" commanded his friend forcefully. There was a clatter and then Itachi was left with the dial tone when the other phone hung up.

He fell, slumped against a the bark of a tree. Like a zombie, he stared off into space until the tug on his eyelids proved too great. He lost track of time, the rain just kept falling and he listened. The droplets washed away the blood on his hands.

In the distance he heard tires screech. The rational part of him commanded his body to get to its feet, to run. The strength was not there to oblige that order. He was done running, it was the end.

There were voices in the trees, almost completely drowned out by the rainfall, but the Uchiha could recognize his name after a while.

Then someone's hand was on Itachi's shoulder, but he couldn't care. He waited for them to place metal cuffs around his wrists, to hall him off to jail for his crimes. But that was not the case. Instead, someone embraced him. This sent him back to reality, staring bewildered at the person who was holding him, Itachi was astonished.

"Itachi, you're okay!" a relieved cry came from the person holding him. He discerned from the sweet musical voice and wisps of waterlogged dark blue hair, that Konan was hugging him. He couldn't understand what she was doing out in the forest while it was pouring rain.

"Konan?" croaked the Uchiha, his throat was immensely scratchy. "What're you doing here?"

Her voice incredulous, she replied, "We came for you, baka!" He could feel that she was chocking back tears as she smiled.

"Come on, Itachi," came another familiar voice.

Itachi's gaze passed Konan to an outstretched hand. His eyes trailed up the person's arm to find a wet Deidara. Dumbstruck, the Uchiha took the help. It wasn't like he found himself in the position to argue. The aching of his limbs became recognized and his knees buckled.

Konan was there to support the Uchiha in an instant. The blonde slid his arm under Itachi's, propping up the quaking body of his friend. The two carried their friend to the brink of the forest. They'd parked their car nearby and hurriedly ushered Itachi inside it. The air from the heater, on full blast, hit Itachi hard, and it made him grasp that he'd been shivering from the cold. His clothes were heavy and waterlogged.

"Fuck, he doesn't look good at all," remarked Hidan from the driver's seat. He had twisted all the way around in his seat to look at his friend. "Itachi, you alright?" His hand waved in front of the Uchiha's face, seeing if he was in a daze.

Itachi nodded sluggishly. He'd missed the exchange of glances going on around him.

"I'm gonna change his clothes," announced Konan hesitantly. "He might catch a cold like that."

"Screw that, we gotta' get the fuck outta' here!" protested Hidan, suddenly shifting uncomfortable to peer outside the foggy windows. "If you forgot, Itachi just killed somebody! The cops might show up anytime now! I'm not going to jail for this shit!"

"Fine, fine," agreed Konan hurriedly. She hopped into the seat on Itachi's left. Then turned to someone outside the car. "Tell Pein that we're rolling and then get yourself out, got it?"

It was Sasori's voice who answered, "I will. You guys get outta here already."

Deidara was on Itachi's other side in a second, slamming the door shut.

"Drive," commanded Konan.

With a huff Hidan said, "About fucking time." The car jerked under them and they pulled away from the forest.

Itachi hadn't even noticed that Kakuzu was seated mutely in the passenger seat up front until he spoke to Hidan. That struck a cord within the Uchiha, he was losing his grip. He was just too _tired_. He didn't feel like trying anymore, his friend's efforts felt wasted on him. Though he couldn't deny he was thankful that they cared when Konan slid her arm over his shaking shoulders and pressed her cheek against his arm. Then warmth of her skin seeped through the drenched fabric of his shirt to the skin of his arm.

It was then he noticed that he was crying, tearing were falling from his eyes and Itachi wondered if they had been for a while now. They seemed so natural at first, but then it was as if his heart was screaming out in agony. His mother and father were dead and after this Sasuke would be alone. He pushed those thoughts to the back of his head and passed out in Konan's arms.

In the hospital, Sasuke had awakened to find a nurse with a grim expression on her face. After gradually breaking the news to the boy, Sasuke sank into a hospital bed. He inquired about his Nii-san and the nurse only shook her head. Itachi had left earlier and his little brother could only curl up and wonder what was going to happen to himself.

After an hour had passed and the hospital received no word from the child's older brother nor father, they started to worry. They checked the records, searching for any other relatives they could call. It seemed most of the family had passed away. Oddly, most of the deaths were recent within the passed six years or so. The Uchihas seemed to be a most unfortunate family.

When they came across an uncle, the hospital rang them up. After a short explanation, the man gruffly replied,

"What do you want me to do? I ain't the kid's father. Call him." Then the line went dead.

Dismayed, they could only wait.

Days passed and no one arrived to take the young Uchiha home. The boy felt the abandonment sinking in. He was alone. His mother was gone, his father was missing, and his Nii-san. . .

"Nii-san, where are you?" muttered the child, grinding the side of his head into the fluffy white pillow. It smelled like everything else around the hospital, death.

Another day later, Sasuke came to terms with the fact that his father was really gone and his Nii-san was not going to return. He overheard talk from the nurses, they were planning to call Social Security. Sasuke was officially a ward of the county. That fueled the young Uchiha's determination, he wasn't going to be the only one left behind. If everyone else could leave, so could he. . .

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TO BE CONTINUED?

I think I'm going to write a sequel like thing that takes place 10 years later.

It'll focus on Sasuke I think...

hopefully then the story will get fun and less morbid.

Anyone wanna review? I'd love you bunches! :D


	2. The Continuation

Hey people!

I wrote the continuation's first chapter!

It's called "**Nine Years Overdue**"

you can find it with the other stories I've written by clicking on my name!

So go read it please :)


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